The KNVB and the Fading Identity of Dutch Football

To the Left, to the Right with the KNVB?

For any sports enthusiast, it's naturally disappointing to watch a World Cup where the Netherlands is eliminated prematurely. As always, this sparks a debate. The national coach should have made different choices. The tactics weren't right. Substitutions should have been made earlier. After all, in the Netherlands, we have eighteen million national coaches.

But perhaps we are having the wrong discussion.

The question isn't just about what the national coach did. The main question is what mandate he received from the KNVB (Royal Dutch Football Association).

The Guardian of Dutch Football

The KNVB is, after all, not only responsible for appointing a national coach. It is the guardian of Dutch football. It is supposed to uphold the long-term vision and with it, the football identity for which the Netherlands is renowned worldwide.

And that's precisely where the problem lies.

Is it bad that Oranje leaves a World Cup early? Of course. But perhaps it's even worse that Oranje lost with a playing style that bore little resemblance to traditional Dutch football.

The Netherlands was admired globally for its attacking football, courage, initiative, and ball possession. Not because it was always successful, but because it was a recognizable identity: attacking, Total Football. Johan Cruyff once said: "If we have the ball, they can't score." That was more than a tactic; it was a conviction. Watching Netherlands-Morocco, I observed that we mostly didn't have the ball...

Brand Oranje: More Than Marketing

During a World Cup, Oranje represents much more than just a team. The whole world watches. Millions are invested in the image of the Netherlands. Everyone knows the orange-clad supporters, the festive crowds, the unique atmosphere, and the recognizable football culture. That is the Oranje brand.

But a brand doesn't just consist of supporters and marketing campaigns. A brand also consists of behavior. Of character. Of recognizability. And precisely that character seemed to have disappeared.

The most disappointing aspect of this World Cup, therefore, might not even be the elimination. The most disappointing thing is that the Netherlands lost without playing recognizably Dutch football.

KNVB: A Choice or Policy?

That is not only the responsibility of the national coach. It is primarily the responsibility of the KNVB.

Because if a national coach is given the freedom to completely abandon the Dutch football identity, that is not an incident. That is policy. And that's precisely what the discussion should be about.

What does the KNVB actually stand for? Is there still a long-term vision for Dutch football? Or is every national coach allowed to bring their own football philosophy, causing the national team to adopt a different identity under each coach?

If the latter is the case, then not only the team but also the policy is wavering. A national football identity is not built around one national coach. It is built across generations. It must remain recognizable, regardless of who stands on the sidelines.

Losing is part of elite sports. But giving up your own identity is a choice. And it is precisely that choice the KNVB should hold itself accountable for.

The whole world watches thousands of orange supporters singing at the top of their lungs: "to the left, to the right." Perhaps that is also the best description of the KNVB's policy nowadays...